How are your reading goals coming along?

[Julie]

I've been successful at adding a level of order to my reading in 2008. 2007 had a lot of scattershot reading that made it difficult for me to remember plots and series. 2008 is more cohesive, as I read series through to completion instead of near-randomly.

We're closing in on the end of the 1st (not 3rd!) quarter. How are you doing?

Julie

[Jamie]

3rd quarter? Does the book reading year begin in July?

I wanted to read more classics and non-fiction this year, and so far I'm not doing so well. I keep not finishing those last four books of The Iliad, and my only NF book has been a bio of George Washington. I need to pick up another Revolutionary War book while I'm watching the John Adams miniseries on HBO.

[bup]

You know, my goals for 2008 are about the same as they were in 2007 - 2 books a month.

I'm having no problem - if I include audio books and YA, I've read 17 books already this year. Take away YA and audio, and I've still read 8 books.

Of course, my reading goals are pretty modest by this group's standards.

I don't have any special goals for content - I tend to go for classics anyway, and have purposely tried to lighten it up a bit this year.

[Ali]

I'm doing quite well, I've read 17 books in total so way ahead of the curve for the 50 book challenge which I am actively trying for this year (saying that two of those books were ones I gave up on so I'm not sure they count, in which case I've read 15 so still good).

I'll probably squeeze in another couple of books this week too as I'm half way through the Life of Pi and have a few other books lying around that I want to read.

[Julie]

I have no idea why I put 3rd quarter up there. The year is going fast enough as it is! Ack!

[Dani]

I'm definitely reading more 'classics'. (Just started 'Don Quixote')

I haven't really been able to pursue finishing up the many series I've left dangling however I'm doing a good job not starting any new ones.

[Ealaindraoi]

My only goal was to keep track of what I'm reading, and that's going really well! :)

I've given up on reading adult books and have now completely dedicated myself to the gods of YA. Not sure that counts as a "goal" per se, more like a "consequence".

See goals sounds too much like rules to me, and I prefer free-range reading. I AM trying to write a review of everything I read, now I really should try to post them here. That way I have a written reminder of how I liked the book and what it was about.

[PastAllReason]

I didn't really set a goal for 2008. Like Ealaindraoi, it's actually progress for me to keep track of what I'm reading.

Looking back at my list, so far this year, I've read 22 books. What I've noticed in the last year or so, is that I'm leaning way more towards reading non-fiction than in the past. I tend towards reading in a particular subject area for a while and then move on to a different one. Also, I seem at any one time to be in the middle of what seems to be a freakishly large number of books, some of which I'm more actively reading than others.

This is not helped by the fact that a bookstore near to my workplce is having its annual sale where they sell, and hardcovers are selling 2 for $5.99 and softcovers 2 for $3.99. This includes quite a few books in hardcover that have not yet been published in softcover, and certainly books that have not yet been "remaindered". Both my spirit and flesh are weak, and the "to be read" pile also continues to grow. I haven't even added most of them to my "to be read" list here yet!

[Dora]

I'm not doing as well as I'd like in reading books. I'm tracking and reviewing what I do read, but it's been difficult to really sit down and read any of those books on good ol' Mt. TBR (way too much work stress). On the brighter side, I'm making a little bit of headway organizing the books I've read and own. For the short term, it looks like I'll have to be happy with keeping up with my book group and maybe with a few discussions here and in the Constant Reader group.

[Tracey]

I didn't set any specific goals, other than to read more than last year; so far I'm averaging 11 books a month over 7 from last year. (Life was a bit busier last year than it has been so far in 2008.)

My non-fiction selections are just beating out the fiction picks (17 to 16) & have had 3 re-reads so far, with more planned. Have caught up on one series & have one more book to go in another.

I'm not whittling Mount ToBeRead down as much as I'd like (13 vs 16 library books & 2 e-texts), but I keep getting such darned good recommendations from you folks! :^)

[Jamie]

I get less reading done in the spring because my husband irrationally insists that I come outside and help with the yard work. In a couple of months the heat will dampen his enthusiasm and I'll get to sit around and read again.

I'm also falling behind because I'm watching a lot of TV while trying to finish a cross-stitch for my sister's new baby. She had him a month early and I'm not nearly finished yet.

[Cassa]

I've had a buttload of course-reading, so unless you count the nine poetry books I read this semester, my reading's not going so well.

I have the problem of refusing to let myself read anything fun until I've finished my work-reading. Then I put off my work-reading as long as possible, which results in a lot of slacking off.

Thankfully, circumstances being what they are, I'm looking at a year off from classes which will likely result in much more reading for me.